Philipp charles close



(No Model.)

P. 0. CLOSE. SBWAGE AND NIGHT SOIL DESIGATING APPARATUS. No. 380,383.

Patente Apr. 3, 1888.

N. PETERS. Pnoxunmgraphcr. wnhmgzm, D. c

Unirse Sfratrss PATENT Ormes,

PHILIPP CHARLES CLOSE, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

SEWAGE AND NIGHTeSOlL DESICCATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,383, dated April 3, 1388 Application filed February 4, 1887. Serial No. 226,595. (No model.)

.To all wwm t may concern.-

Be it known that l, Pnrrarr @Harinas CLQSE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the county of Richmond, State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewage and Night- Soil Desiccating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for desiccating human excrcments, in whichhot air and fire are used from time to time to convert this fecal matter into a transportable and inoffensive residuum of value as a fertilizer; and the objects ot'rny improvements are to produce a substitute for privies and Water-closets essentially inodorous and innocuous as a receptacle for collecting and retaining this fecal matter', and also during the operation of its disposal by hot air and tire, in a simple, economical, and effective manner, by conducting the odors and cxhalations bya continuous draft into a properly constructed tlue open to the air, while standing cold or during the collection, and by the destruction of all odors in applying the hot air, re, and lime. I attain these objects by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section through an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the portable furnace forming a part of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of a stationary retort to receive the excreta or night-soil. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the saine. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the furnace.

In said drawings, A represents an oblong flat-shaped retort, preferably made of castiron and retained vertically by resting on the bottom, and steadied by suitable bracesin the chamber B, made of brick or other suitable tire-proof material, as shown in Figs. l, 3, and 4. Vhen the privy-seat b is located in an upper story, as in Fig. l, the retort is connected thereto by suitable and properlyconstructed pipes of cast-iron. This seat may be left uncovered; or if closed with a cover, b2, it is best to leave a small opening for admission of draft to the main tlue B3. on the same door as the retort, the draft passes downward at bl through the seat-hole, and all other dampers or vents for draft are closed while collecting this excreta, which is deposited or dropped through the hole in privy-seat into the mouth o f retort. The openings of these seats, and also the top opening or mouth of retort, are directly connected with a flue or chimney, B3, that extends to a height at least twenty times its diameter, and this diameter or draft-surface is to be equal to the draft-surface of lire-box.

When the contents of retort are to be 'desiccated, the inletopening b3 is used to direct the products of combustion-heat and smoke-A It the privy-seat is through a short iiue from a furnace, D, here.

inafter described.

In the bottom of the retort there is a removable horizontal partition, c, to support its contents; but said partition has tine perforations for the passage of hot air and for the straining oft' of the urine, which is valuable forit-s nitrogen compounds, which may be drawn off through a pipe, ai, controlled by a cock connected to the hot-air pipe. Under the partition a a pipe, as, is placed horizontallyto bring into the retort a current of hot air or of inarnmable gases from the furnace D. Secured to the inside of the retort, near its open mouth, are brackets to support a perforated plate, ai, that is placed thereon at the time the contents are to be desiccated, said plate being to su pport, first, a layer of unslalred linie to decompose the sulphureted hydrogen escaping from the retort by absorbing its sulphur and producing sulphide ot' linie, and releasing the hyl drogen that is destroyed in its passage through a layer or column of (burning) charcoal that has been placed upon the lime. This charcoal is ignited through an opening, a5, cutout from the top on the side of retort by the darne or heat that passes with the draft through it and across the mouth of retort through passage a on its way to the main flue. After this charcoal is once ignited its combustion is kept up by the current of hot air passing up through the retort. The valve c being closed,

the draft is returned, so that the gases from the inside of retort passing out of the mouth are carried toward the outletopening B3, thence downward with the heat from furnace through the flue surrounding the retort, and are thus destroyed.

To remove the desiccated contents of the retort, the lower part is pr`ovided with openings that are closed by cap-plates c, retained by clamps cZ and screws c3 bearing firmly against said plates. These plates are made to fit tightly with suitable packing, so as to hermetically seal the bottom of retort.

To produce the desiccation of the contents of the retort and their transformation into a Valuable fertilizer, the furnace D is used. It is preferably mounted on wheels d, and is a rectangular box of metal, made either with double walls or with a lining of fire-brick or clay. It has a grate, E, near the bottom thereof, to support the combustibles when wood or coal is used to produce the necessary heat, the ash-pit F being under the grate.

'lo send a certain amount of highly-heated air or of infiammable gases through the pipe a3 into the bottom of the retort and through the contents of said retort, a continuous coil of pipe, z', is placed within the furnace around its sides, and said coil is connected at one end with pipe 112, issuing from the bottom of airpump H, and at -t-he other end with pipe a5 in the bottom of retort.

When it is desirable to use inflammable gases in connection with wood or coal fuel, for the purpose of increasing the evaporating heat in the mouth of retort, oil or other gas-producing liquid is placed in a vessel, so as to gradually enter the pump at its point of 'suction, and then is forced drop by drop by this pump into the heating-coil of pipe on the inside of the furnace. Thence the gas formed from this oil is forced into thev bottom of the retort, asceuds through the contents of retort to flame and blaze in the mouth ofl retort on coming in contact with oxygen and the burning charcoal; but hydrocarbon liquids can also be used independently of solid combustibles, or in connection therewith, to increase the length of the fiame issuing from the furnace and passing around and under the retort. For this purpose a tank, G, is placed upon brackets d2, secured to the top of the furnace, and from the bottom of the tank issuesa pipe, g, that leads the liquid into a series of horizontal pipes, g2, entering one end of the furnace and extending across it. They have small perforations in their sides to let the liquid hydrocarbon escape and fall drop by drop upon the incandescent coal in the bottom of the furnace; and to furnish a fresh supply of air there are placed directly under each pipe g2 a similarly-perforated pipe, h, leading from a hand-blower or pump, said pump having the pipe 7L leading into each one of the horizontal air-pipes h.

In the passage or flue between the retort and its casing a valve, K, is placed to regulate the amount of draft and heat passing therethrough.

Although the drawings show the entrance of the heat-flue from furnace at but one point near the top of retort, it is evident that this opening b3 can be placed at any point along the sides, or to the rear or the front of retort. Ebullition of the contents being prevented by the current of hot air, and the temperature of the heat required in the outside of retort being only high enough to prevent the condensation of the vapor with the hot air in Vits passage through the retort, a temperature above 400 Fahrenheit of the air is to be avoided, as it is likely to decompose the nitrogen compounds Having now fully described my invention,

I claim- 1. The combination of a retort having a perforated plate, a4, in the top, a perforated plate, a, in the bottom, and a pipe to admit air under the bottom plate, with a casing inclosing said retort, and having flues to conduct a current of the production of combustion and heated air across the top and down one side and upward on the opposite side of said retort, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a vertical retort having a perforated plate in its upper and in its lower end, a casing inclosing said retort, and a furnace having supporting-wheels and a pipe upon one side connecting with said casing, whereby the products of combustion are directed down one side of the retort, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. The combination of a vertical retort and its casing, separated by flues betweenthem, with a furnace having the horizontal pipes g2 within said furnace, and a tank, G, connected with said pipes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. The combination of a vertical retort and its casing with a furnace, a pipe connecting said retort and furnace, the tank G, having a discharge-pipewith lateral perforated branches within said furnace, the air-pump H, and the horizontal pipes h, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of a vertical retort, having a perforated plate, a, inthe bottom thereof, and the pipe c3 under said plate, with a furnace having a continuous coil, i, therein, an air-pump, and a pipe to connect said pump and coil with the pipe as in the bottom ofthe its point of suction, substantially as and for retort, substantially as and for the purposes the purposes described. ro described. In testimony whereof I afix my signature in 6. The combination of a vertical retort, havpresence of two Witnesses. ing a perforated plate, a, and the pipe a3, with PHILIPP CHARLES CLGSE. a furnace and coil, 2', an air-pump and connect- Witnesses: ing-pipe, and a vessel or reservoir for gas-pro- CHARLES W. DOUGHTY,

dueing liquids connected with said pump at MAROELLUS P. FOSTER. 

